File Sharing System and Method for Storing and Managing Failure Information Based on Statuses of a Main Control and a Power Supply

1. A file sharing apparatus that performs file sharing processing, the apparatus comprising: a chassis; a first communication control substrate provided within the chassis, which communicates with a host computer; a second communication control substrate provided within the chassis, which communicates with a storage device; a main control substrate positioned within the chassis and connected to the first communication control substrate and the second communication control substrate, which performs the file sharing processing; a first failure detecting section provided on the first communication control substrate, which detects a failure occurring on the first communication control substrate; a second failure detecting section provided on the second communication control substrate, which detects a failure occurring on the second communication control substrate; a third failure detecting section provided on the main control substrate, which detects a failure occurring on the main control substrate; a failure information storage section provided on the first communication control substrate for storing failure information describing information on a failure detected by the failure information detecting section; a failure information managing section provided on the first communication control substrate for obtaining the failure information from the failure information storage section in a predetermined case; a power supply unit that supplies a predetermined amount of power to each of the substrates; and a switch configured to be operated by a user for supplying backup power to predetermined components at least including the failure information storage section and the failure information managing section, wherein: the main control substrate obtains the failure information from the failure information storage section and transmits it to an apparatus for maintenance in a first case where the main control substrate and the power supply unit are operating normally; the failure information managing section operates based on an inquiry from the apparatus for maintenance and obtains the failure information from the failure information storage section in a second case where the main control substrate is not operating normally and the power supply unit is operating normally; and the failure information managing section operates in response to the supplying backup power by an operation on the switch and obtains the failure information from the failure information storage section in a third case where the main control substrate and the power supply unit are not operating normally.

2. The file sharing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the failure information managing section provides the obtained failure information to outside the chassis in the second and third cases.

3. The file sharing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the failure information managing section transmits the obtained failure information to the apparatus for maintenance in the second and third cases.

4. The file sharing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein: the chassis has multiple light emitting units that can be visually checked from outside the chassis; and the failure information managing section causes at least one light emitting unit which corresponds to the part having the failure among the light emitting units to light up or blink based on the obtained failure information in the second and third cases.

5. A control method for a file sharing apparatus to perform file sharing processing, wherein the file sharing apparatus includes: a chassis; a first communication control substrate provided within the chassis, which communicates with a host computer; a second communication control substrate provided within the chassis, which communicates with a storage device; a main control substrate positioned within the chassis and connected to the first communication control substrate and the second communication control substrate, which performs the file sharing processing; a first failure detecting section provided on the first communication control substrate, which detects a failure occurring on the first communication control substrate; a second failure detecting section provided on the second communication control substrate, which detects a failure occurring on the second communication control substrate; a third failure detecting section provided on the main control substrate, which detects a failure occurring on the main control substrate; a failure information storage section provided on the first communication control substrate for storing failure information describing information on a failure detected by the failure information detecting section; a failure information managing section provided on the first communication control substrate for obtaining the failure information from the failure information storage section in a predetermined case; a power supply unit that supplies a predetermined amount of power to each of the substrates; and a switch to be operated by a user for supplying backup power to predetermined components at least including the failure information storage section and the failure information managing section, the control method comprising: obtaining, via the main control substrate, the failure information from the failure information storage section and transmitting it to an apparatus for maintenance in a first case where the main control substrate and the power supply unit are operating normally; operating the failure information managing section based on an inquiry from the apparatus for maintenance and obtaining the failure information from the failure information storage section in a second case where the main control substrate is not operating normally and the power supply unit is operating normally; and operating the failure information managing section in response to the supplying backup power by an operation on the switch and obtaining the failure information from the failure information storage section in a third case where the main control substrate and the power supply unit are not operating normally.

6. The control method according to claim 5 , further comprising providing, via the failure information managing section, the obtained failure information to outside the chassis in the second and third cases.

7. The control method according to claim 5 , further comprising transmitting, via the failure information managing section, the obtained failure information to the apparatus for maintenance in the second and third cases.

8. The control method according to claim 5 , wherein the chassis has multiple light emitting units that can be visually checked units that can be visually checked from outside the chassis, the method further comprising causing, via the failure information managing section, from outside the chassis to the part having the failure among the light emitting units to light up or blink based on the obtained failure information in the second and third cases.